Dry ore concentrating board



y 1957 M. L. STOVER DRY OREICONCENTRATING BOARD Filed June 6, 1955 INVENTOR.

greases DRY @RE CGNCENTRATWG BOARD Marshall lL. Stover, Wichita, Kane, Application .lune 6, 1955, Serial No. 513,267 12: Claims. ct. Zita-486) This invention relates in general to shaking concentrators and pertains more particularly to a dry ore concentrating board having an improved cell construction.

One important object of the invention is to provide an ore concentrator capable of separating particulate matter in a highly effective and eficient manner without the use of water. The effectiveness of my concentrator is demonstrated by the fact that when employed for the separation or segregation of metals and/or minerals from an ore, the resulting product is such that the tailings are substantially barren of any value. Stated more succinctly, the concentrator forming the subject of the present in vention is very selective in operation, functioning so as to produce fines of exceptional quality, yet minimizing any loss of valuable minerals which would be discarded along with the Waste material.

Another object of the invention is to provide concentrating apparatus having a concentrating board of simple construction which is easily fabricated from inexpensive materials that are readily available in the open market. In this regard it is contemplated that the individual concentrating cells comprising the overall board he made from strips of light gauge sheet metal, conveniently cut and formed, and easily soldered to a sheet metal bottom or deck to complete the board. While effectiveness of classification is of chief interest, nontheless fortuitous circumstances flowing from the emcient design of the inter-associated cell structure result in an exceptionally sturdy concentrating board, capable of with standing the rigors of vigorous vibration, even though relatively light sheet stock is utilized in the cell construction and relatively dense mineral ore is to be concentrated.

Further, it is an aim of the invention to so arrange the individual cells as to size and number so that various gradations of middlings can be obtained which have desired size chararteristics. In other words, it is within the purview of the invention to eliect separation of particles according to size, the sizes ranging from the finest concentrate up through different sizes of middlings to the coarsest material being treated.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view taken generally in the direction of line 1-1 of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a plan view corresponding to Figure l but with the feed hopper removed;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective, greatly enlarged in comparison to Figure 1, illustrating the specific Wall pattern that is used in constructing an ore concentrating board in accordance with the teachings of the invention, and

Figure 4 corresponds substantially to Figure 3 but illusi and at right angles to the trates a slightly more elaborate modification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the ore concentrator selected for illustrating my invention comprises a con centrating board indicated generally by the numeral 10 and includes a deck plate 12 surmounting a plurality of upright legs 14. The legs 14 are actually part of a composite frame which is not important to an understanding of the invention and, hence, is not shown.

The deck plate 12 forms the flooring for a multiplicity of individual concentrating cells bearing the numeral 16, each perimetrically enclosed by specially configured wall means. As can be seen from an inspection of both Figures 2 and 3 these cells 16 are produced in part by diagonally arranged, spaced strips 13 of sheet metal having what might be termed a generally stair-stepped or zig-zag configuration. From Figure 2 it will be discerned that these spaced strips provide, borrowing for the moment terminology commonly employed in the building trade since the strips have been referred to as stair-stepped, tread portions 20 and riser portions 22. It can be seen from Figure Z that the portions 20 actually have a declination thereto and the reason for this will be made clearer as the description progresses. Intersecting the strips 13 at the respective junctures of the portions 2d and 22 with each other is a plurality of straight, spaced strips 24, the various sections of which between pairs of strips 18 having been given the numeral 26. As a result of the foregoing it will be appreciated that the various cells 16 are defined by repetitions of the wall portions 2t), 22 and 26. Also, it can be seen that the wall portion 22 is disposed at an obtuse angle with the wall portion 20, the Wall portion 26 at an obtuse angle relative to the portion 22 and the. wall portion 22 at an acute angle with the portion 26. The various wall portions 20 are parallel portions 26, the portions 20 also being parallel to each other as are the portions 26 to each other. Since the portions 22 and 26 lie closer to the longitudinal axis of the deck 12 they will hereinafter at. times be termed longitudinal wall portions, whereas the portions 20 are more transverse and will therefore be so referred to.

Considering the cell construction in greater detail, attention is now directed to Figure 3. In this figure it can be seen that the transverse wall portions 20 have a cutout section providing a notch or opening 2% extending from a midway locus over to the strip 24. The openings 28, due to the slant of the wall portions 20, are at the respective lower apices formed With the wall portions 26. Also, it is to be noted that each longitudinal wall portion 26 has a cut-out or notched section extending the major length of said portion 26, thereby providing a spillway 3d. The spillway is tapered, being deeper at its upper end. More will be said later about the numerous openings 28 and the spillways 30. However, it might be explained at this point that the strips 18 and 24 are made fast with respect to the deck 12, as by soldering.

The tray or deck 12 is equipped with upturned sides 32, 34 and ends 36, 38. Spaced from the end 36 is a cross strip 39 providing in conjunction with this end a trough 40 extending part way across the deck l2, a short partition piece 42 assuring that the ore will enter upon the concentration board 1!) only in the neighborhood of the extreme upper left hand corner, as viewed in Figure 2. Feeding into the trough 40 is a supply hopper 44.

At the lower or discharge end of the concentration board is an array of collecting receptacles 46, i8, 50, 52 and 54, the receptacle 46 serving to collect the fines, the receptacles 48, 50 and 52 being for the various classes of middlings to be accumulated and the receptacle 54 for the tailings or relatively coarse particulate matter. While four divisional partitions 56, 58, 60 and 62 have been employed to provide the collecting receptacles, it will be appreciated that the precise number will be governed by the material being concentrated, for in many instances only twoseparations will be desired with per haps the smaller or denser-particles undergoing a successive concentrating run over the board 10. Ofcourse, not only willthe type of material be a factor, but other variables enterinto the picture,.includ ing the number of cells 16 incorporated into the concentrator. As will be presentlyrnade manifest, however, each cell is' highly selective in operation.

Considerable choice is possible in selecting the vibra tory mechanism. Soto this end,- only representative mechanism has been somewhat generally pictured in Figure 1, being designated by the numeral 64. While not clearly discernible from Figure l, the mechanism is mounted at an angle so as to give the maximum displacement in the reciprocal direction of the arrow 66 appearing in Figures 2 3 and 4. By so mounting this appurtenant mechanism, the denser or smaller size particles are better constrained to follow an optimum segregation path as will be better understood from a reading of theoperational sequence presented later. Itwill auffi'ce at this time, though, to state that this path is in the direction of the arrows denoted by the numeral 68, whereas the larger or less dense matter moves generally in the direction of the arrows 70.

Before the operational description is presented, reference should be had to Figure 4, this figure adding to the structure already explained a bafile means designated generally by the numeral 72. In the specific form depicted, an inverted channel-shaped member has been employed having its web 74 rigidly secured, as by soldering, to the deck 12, thereby leaving upstanding sides 76 and 78 to form what amounts to two baffle walls extending from the wall portion 26 toward the wall portion 22 but. terminating at the locus spaced from said portion 22. The upper edges of these baffle walls 76 and 78.

are preferably coterminous with the height of the wall portion 26, but for particular applications may be higher or lower. However, the baffle walls 76 and 78, together with the web 74, have portions thereof removed to form aligned openings 80 and 82 via which many of the segregated small size or dense particles will pass on their journey down the sloping concentrating board. In this regard, it will be understood that when the baffie means 72 is utilized one such means will preferably be installed in each of the cells 16. i

In operation, the ore to be concentrated is placed in the hopper 44 and permitted to flow gravitationally into the uppermost cells 16. To avoid unnecessary loss of valuable minerals, introduction of the ,ore to the upper left hand corner of the concentrating board should be made, for then the finer particles will not find their way into the tailings, inasmuch as the ore as fed to the concentrating board will have to'traverse at least some cells 16. v

Owing to the actiorrof the vibrating mechanismfid,

coupled with a desired adjusted tilt of the concentrating board, the particulate dry material is under continuous agitation, each particle being subject to a rapid move ment, then a momentary stop, then another forward movement, and so on. It is the slight pause in movement thatallows the settling rates of the different materials in the aggregate to take effect.

It should be clearly understood that the settling rates of -the variousmaterials beinghandled are determined by both the specific gravity of the individual particles as well as by their size, Considering large and small particles having substantially the same specific gravity, the smaller particles will gravitate to the bottom ofthe cells, the next larger particles will be carried atop those particles on the bottom ojf the cells, and the still larger particles will ride atop the said nextlargerparticles and so on, so that in reality all those particles having substantially the same specific gravity form various strata, the particles in each stratum being approximately the same size. I

Considering size alone, particles having a higher specific gravity do not follow this pattern. Relatively large particles having a relatively high specific gravity will gravitate downward and through the various strata made up of particles having a lower specific gravity. Due to the described construction of the cells, heavier particles progress in the general direction of the arrows 68 passing through the various openings 28; on the other hand, the lighter and larger particles of less specific gravity literally float on top in the respective cells, flowing through the various spillways 30 provided in the wall portions 26, encouraged to do so by the defiective action of the slanting wall portions 20, and thus taking the direction designated by the arrows 70. Due to the fact that some segregation takes place in each cell 16, it follows that the successive cells are each instrumental in accomplishing a degree of concentration based on size and specific gr'av ity, and that the respective cell classifications are cumulative in nature, as far as procuring an overall particle sizing and concentrating of the higher specific gravity particles induced by the simultaneous flow of material in two directions (arrows 68 and 70 in Fig. 2),

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the fines will be collected in the receptacle labeled 46 and the waste or tailings in the receptacle designated 54. An intermediate gradation in theform of diiferent middlings will be collected in the I several receptacles 48, 5t and 52. From Fig. 2 it can be noted that the cells 16 do not extend completely to the upturned side 34, thus leaving a ready avenue of' escapeto the' receptacle 54 for the tailings discharged from the extreme right hand cells 16.

In some instances eiiceptionallyhigh quality concentrations are desired and while the cell construction of Fig.13 is generally satisfactory improvement can be achieved, depending also upon the type of ore, by resort to the modified cellstructure shown in Fig. 4. Essentially the same basic action occurs, except that additional agitation is introduced in a region where it will do the most good. As can be understood from Fig. 4- the baffle walls 76 and 78 permit the heavier particles that have already gravitated to the deck- 12, either in that particular cell or a preceding one, to continue on without impediment, foreach of the walls 76 and 78 is provided with an opening 80 or 82. With respect to that material still agglomerated or unseparated,these bafile walls serve as an elevating barrier, helping to lift the lighter particles and at the same time aiding the heavier particles to seek a lower level closer to the bottom of the cell. trnight be emphasized once again that the upper edges of the walls 76 and 78 are equal in height to the reduced 7 panying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein'described and all statements of the scope of the inventionwhich, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

1. An ore concentrator comprising an inclined deck andwall means associated therewith forming a multiplicity of six walled concentrating cells, the cells being formed by a pair of spaced parallel first wall portions, a pair of spacedv parallel second wall portions each disposed at obtuse angles relative to the respective first Wall portions, and a pair of spaced parallel third wall portions each disposed at obtuse angles relative to the respective second wall portions, successive duplication of said first, second and third wall portions producing the multiplicity of like cells and each of said first wall portions having a bottom opening near its adjacent third wall portion.

2. An ore concentrator in accordance with claim 1 including vibrating means for vibrating said deck in the general direction in which said third wall portions extend.

3. An ore concentrator in accordance with claim 2 in which said first wall portions extend generally transverse with respect to the direction of vibration.

4. An ore concentrator in accordance with claim 1 in which the majority of each third wall portion is of less height than the first and second wall portions to form a spillway.

5. An ore concentrator in accordance with claim 1 including a baflie within each cell parallel to said first wall portions and having a bottom opening near the adjacent third wall portion.

6. A concentrating board comprising a rectangular deck inclined along its major axis and wall means associated therewith forming a multiplicity of ore concentrating cells, each cell including two oppositely and generally diagonally disposed walls which meet to form an inverted acute angled apex, the point of which is nearer the lower end of the deck than any other portion of the cell, one of said walls having a lower opening adjacent the deck and adjacent said apex, and the other wall having a height less than that of said one wall in the region adjacent said apex.

7. A concentrating board in accordance with claim 6 including bafiie means extending from said other wall portion, said baflie means having a lower opening adjacent said other wall portion.

8. An ore concentrator comprising a deck, a first plurality of generally diagonally disposed, spaced strips supported on said deck and having a generally stair-stepped configuration when viewed from above to provide generally transverse and longitudinal wall portions with respect to the deck, and a second plurality of substantially straight, spaced strips supported on said deck and intersecting said diagonal strips to provide generally longitudinal wall portions disposed at an acute included angle relative to the generally longitudinal portions of said stair-stepped generally diagonal strips, the lower marginal edge of said transverse portions of the stair-stepped strips having an opening adjacent the deck and in the region of intersection with the adjacent straight strip and the upper marginal edge of the said straight strips being cut away at intervals to provide a series of lowered wall portions in the vicinity of intersection with the diagonal strips.

9. A cell structure for an ore concentrator comprising a deck portion and perirnetral wall means, said wall means including a first wall portion, a second wall portion at an obtuse angle relative to said first wall portion, a third wall portion disposed at an obtuse angle relative to the second wall portion, a fourth wall portion disposed at an acute angle relative to said third wall portion, a fifth wall portion, and a sixth wall portion disposed substantially at right angles relative to said first and fifth wall portions, said first and fifth wall portions each having 6 an opening adjacent said sixth wall portion and said deck portion.

10. A cell structure in accordance with claim 9 in which said third and sixth wall portions have sections thereof of lesser height than the height of the other wall portions.

11. A cell structure in accordance with claim 9 in which said first and fifth, said second and fourth, and said third and sixth wall portions, respectively, are in substantial parallelism with each other.

12. A cell structure in accordance with claim 9 including a bafile wall portion intermediate said first and fifth wall portions having one end contiguous said sixth wall portion, said bafiie portion having an opening adjacent said sixth wall portion and said deck portion to render thereby said baflle opening in substantial alignment with said other openings.

13. A cell structure in accordance with claim 12 in which said third and sixth wall portions have sections thereof of lesser height than the height of the other wall portions and said baffle portion is of a height substantially coterminous with said lesser height wall portion with which it is contiguous.

14. An ore concentrator comprising: an elongated generally rectangular deck inclined in the direction of its major axis, the upper or elevated end being the head or feed end, and the lower end being the delivery or discharge end; a first plurality of spaced, planar, diagonally disposed cell wall forming strips supported on the top surface of said deck in parallel planes substantially normal thereto; a second plurality of similarly supported spaced cell wall forming strips disposed generally diagonally in the opposite direction on said deck and intersecting the first plurality of strips to form a multitude of juxtaposed ore separating cells, each cell having two meeting walls which form an inverted acute angled apex pointing generally toward the discharge end of the deck, one of said meeting walls having an opening immediately adjacent the deck and adjacent the inverted apex, and the other of said meeting walls being of lesser height than said one wall in the region of said apex.

15. The ore concentrator described in claim 14 in which one of said two meeting walls of each cell is disposed more generally transverse with respect to the long axis of the deck than is the other of said walls.

16. The ore concentrator described in claim 14 in which the height of the cell wall of lesser height diminishes in height from the said apex toward the elevated end of the deck.

17. A cell structure in accordance with claim 14 including baflle means contiguous and transverse to one of said meeting walls and substantially parallel to the other one, said baffie means having an opening adjacent said one wall and said deck portion.

18. A cell structure in accordance with claim 14 in which said bafiie means is substantially channel-shaped to provide a pair of spaced bafiie portions, each having a height coterminous with said region of lesser height, and each having an opening adjacent said one wall and said deck portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,600,600 Yewell June 17, 1952 

